Pirate's Blood
by Snakebite Virus
Summary: Set in a Pirate AU, where the characters are either buccaneers or privateers. Haruka is a fisherman whose town is raided and destroyed by pirates. For reasons unknown to him, he is captured and brought back to the pirates' ship rather than killed. There, he must learn the reason why Captain Matsuoka is keeping him alive before it is too late to escape. Yaoi, several pairings.
1. Chapter 1 :: Captured

**Update 05/21/16: Rewrote chapters 1-7 (grammar editting, minor changes, no major plot changes)**

**If you like the story, I would love to hear your feedback! If you feel inclined to, please leave comments and reviews; I always like to hear what you, the readers, think! I'm hoping you enjoy the story and look forward to seeing what happens next!**

**Also I'll occasionally be adding notes to the bottom of chapters for pirate lingo clarification**

**Warnings: Violence, gore, blood, death, torture, PTSD, potential rape, graphic sex, male x male, and general pirate goodness. If you don't like, don't read! Rin x Haru is the main pairing for this series, but there will be others on the side as well.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the concept of, nor any of the characters of, Free! Iwatobi Swim Club**

* * *

He couldn't remember ever seeing so much _red_ in his entire life.

The hot air of the night burned the lungs of Haruka Nanase, blue eyes watering as smoke and ash stung them. His chest heaved with ragged coughs as his weakened body struggled beneath the massive weight of a fallen wooden pillar that had crushed him against the ground. The loud screams of a massacre continued to assault his ears, his eyes squeezing shut as if he could block out the garish sounds of metal sinking into flesh. Amongst the screams he could distinguish the familiar voices of his friends, their pained shouts ringing out as they released their dying cries. Eyes still screwed shut, he once again sunk his nails into the wood of the pillar and pushed upwards with all of his might. It was futile; no matter how much he strained his muscles, it was simply too heavy for him to lift.

Haru's arms collapsed back against the ground as he released another painful cough, hot sticky liquid coating his hands as they withdrew from the wooden surface. Through half-lidded eyes he looked at his skin, now painted a crimson color. _Blood_. There was... So much of it, and none of it was even his. A wrenching feeling filled his gut as he dry heaved, his stomach long since been emptied. His wet hands slipped against the pillar as he tried again and again to push it from atop his body, even if by now he knew it would never budge.

The wood had fallen across his hips, pinning him to the ground even if his legs and torso were still free to move. Through bleary eyes Haru could see various shadows dancing across the walls of the buildings, accompanied by the brilliant warm reflections of burning flames. He could feel the heat from the inferno across his exposed skin, hot enough to burn as if he were touching the flames directly.

His mouth and throat were parched, and sucking in the ashen air with another ragged breath only forced him into another painful cough. Exhaustion finally began to claim him and he let his arms fall away from the pillar to give himself a break. Haru shook his head back and forth to shake off the fine layer of soot covering his raven hair.

A sudden scream from _very_ close by threw a chill of fear down the entire length of his spine, his head turning in time to give him a glimpse of a woman's body buckling forward to grab desperately at the sword embedded within her stomach. It lasted for only a moment before her corpse was violently booted backwards onto the bloodied ground beneath, a fine spray of blood arching upwards to paint more crimson onto the grotesque environment. Haru's blue eyes widened, reflecting his horror as he saw two men emerge from the shadows to follow the falling body, their eyes glinting with pure malevolence.

He froze in place, hoping they would take him as just another corpse killed by a fallen pillar. Unfortunately for him, that was not the case.

"Ho! Looky there. Me thinks that one be in Davy's grip," one of them pointed with his bloodied sword in Haru's direction as he lazily strolled forwards into the light of the fire.

The pirate had short but brilliantly bright red hair, almost as though his head was bathed in the same blood coating the rest of him. Glittering gold eyes, cold and merciless, contrasted the rich hue of his bronzed skin. He wore a tattered white shirt that hung loose enough to expose his toned muscles, the black breeches covering his legs held in place by a red sash tied around his waist in place of a belt. The rest of him was accessorized by heavy black boots that buckled up close to his knees, a black bandana tied around his head, and striking gold earrings. Unfortunately it was hard at first to tell what colors his clothes originally were, what with how saturated they were with... _blood_.

Like prey staring into the eyes of the predator about to devour it, Haru braved the chance to look directly into the eyes of the pirate as he sauntered towards his pinned victim. It was clear from just that one look that the murderer wasn't planning on showing him any mercy. The raven-haired teen struggled against the confines of the pillar as his body switched into flight mode, but per usual he was unable to move his wooden prison. His only option was to accept his fate as the pirate finally came close enough to stand above his trapped body.

"I'll make quick shark bait out of ye," the man chuckled cruelly as he raised his cutlass above his head, prepared to make quick work of taking Haru's life.

The quiet teen screwed his eyes shut and lodged his nails into the pillar in a powerfully painful grip, preparing himself for the inevitable end. Several moments passed before he noticed he could still hear chaos ringing in his ears, his heart still pounding in his heaving chest.

'_I'm still... Alive?'_ Confused, he allowed his eyes to slowly open as he tilted his head upwards.

The other pirate that had been quietly lurking in the shadows had now joined his comrade above Haru, one of his hands secured tightly around the red-haired man's raised arm to prevent him from dealing the killing blow. An uneasy, gut-wrenching feeling pooled in the pit of Haru's stomach as he found his eyes meeting that of the second pirate whose half-lidded turquoise eyes stared at him, almost as if in recognition.

The new man was much taller than his pirate kin with equally bronzed skin and messy black hair outlining his intimidating face. The large, loosely hung shirt he wore was too bloodstained to tell what its original color was, but its buttons were popped open half way down to reveal the heavily packed muscles of his well-built body. Hanging off broad shoulders was a turquoise waistcoat, equally saturated with crimson blood and opened its entire length. Matching his outfit on his lower half were black trousers, dark brown boots that folded over at the tops, and heavy gold earrings with matching gold rings on his fingers.

He was an intimidating man to behold, pirate or not, and Haru involuntarily swallowed back a lump of fear that had begun to make its presence known.

"Nay, we be takin' this lad back to the Captain," the new man spoke with a rumbling baritone voice, his tone level and almost lazy in nature.

The red-haired pirate's face creased as he threw a look of confusion towards his comrade, but by the way his tongue remained stilled in his mouth it was clear he was the black-haired pirate's subordinate.

"Aye aye!" the redhead saluted after a moment of pause, his cutlass twisting away from Haru to wipe itself clean upon a corpse nearby before being stashed into the pirate's waistband. Haru could only watch the action with horror, eyes not daring to look into the face of the fallen man for fear of recognition.

As soon as he was finished, the red-haired man leaned down and grabbed the wooden pillar on one side of Haru, while the black-haired man lifted from the other side. Working together they were able to lift the wood enough to throw it off of Haru, freeing him in one swift movement. The previously trapped teen immediately rolled onto his bruised and aching stomach with a groan and tried to crawl away, even if he knew it was futile. It came with no surprise when the collar of his shirt was roughly grabbed at the back and hoisted upwards so that he was forced onto his feet.

The buccaneers didn't even offer him a second glance as they swiftly bound his hands behind his back, the rough rope already digging into his skin and sending sharp shoots of pain up his arms. Haru didn't have much time to think about it before his world was swathed in darkness as a heavy wool bag suddenly encased his head. The black fabric stank of blood and sweat, causing the prisoner to double over as his gut lurched and forced him to gag out another dry heave. The sound of laughter filled his ears before he was roughly shoved forwards, nearly toppling him over before he managed to find his footing and stay upright.

Haru was immediately forced to walk forwards, blindly following the directions given through rough shoves on his shoulders and arms to tell him which way to turn. His foot suddenly collided with something and he stumbled forwards onto his knees, horror in his eyes as he found himself staring directly into the deadened eyes of the town's blacksmith.

Nausea washed over him again when he realized the only thing he could see was red. It was everywhere, coating _everything_. However, he didn't even have the time to be sick when the bag on his head was pulled back down and he was yanked back to his feet, urged to press on and leave his dead friend behind. The roar of the town on fire was drowned out by the groaning of wooden buildings as they began to finally cave in on themselves, wood crashing down and emitting screams from people that had tried to take shelter within them. Since the bag forced him into blindness anyway, Haru tried squeezing his eyes shut again to try and drown out the screams.

He could hardly believe that just earlier that day his home had been a peaceful fishing town along the outskirts of a lagoon. Now it was a raging inferno, the last of the unlucky inhabitants slain by the pirates that had started their plunder just over an hour ago.

The town, the only thing he had ever known, was gone. Eaten up by gluttonous flames.

The black-haired teen shivered when a chill met his feet, cold water beginning to seep in through his boots. Haru's life in the town had been that of a fisherman, water and the sea always having been a part of his life. He felt more at home in the middle of the ocean, where the only thing he could see for miles was rolling waves. Yet as much as water was second nature to him, he could feel nothing but dread when he felt it underfoot. It only served as confirmation to his current situation: his friends were dead, his town was burning, and he was being captured and dragged out to sea by the very pirates responsible for the bloodshed. He could hear the familiar roar of the waves, the ocean completely oblivious to the tragedy on land.

Haru knew that if he left now... There was no going back.

"Unh!" he released a surprised grunt as he was suddenly pushed over, and for a moment he seemed to free fall through empty space until he landed ungracefully in the bottom of a wooden boat. His cheek bashed against the rough bottom, tearing his skin and causing it to bleed. Left over water that sloshed around at the bottom of the boat began to soak the bag around his head, spilling into his mouth and suffocating him. Haru welcomed the thought of drowning, but his hope was crushed when he was roughly dragged upwards into an awkward sitting position against the side of the boat.

"Quartermaster, this be the only loot from the treasury," a new voice suddenly spoke up to break the quiet tension between the two pirates and their prisoner. A loud splashing next to the boat could be heard as the newcomer wadded through the water to join them.

"That be all of it? What a sorry lookin' bounty," came the rough voice of the man with black hair before something heavy was suddenly thrown into the boat alongside Haru. The prisoner shifted his feet slightly to feel the bag that was next to him; as it shifted in the boat, he could hear coins clinking together.

"Get all hands back on deck, Seijuurou. Smartly now! We be settin' sail."

"Aye aye!" the redhead buccaneer from before shouted before dashing off through the water and back to shore once more.

Haru remained blind, but he could feel the wooden boat rock violently from side to side as the two remaining pirates joined him in the boat. Eventually they began to move out to sea, the last dying cries becoming dimmer until Haru could hear them no more.

_'I'm done for,'_ he thought in horror, shifting himself slightly so that he could peek out through the very bottom of the water-logged bag and look over the side of the boat. Through the woven grains of the bag he could see the water beneath, glittering as it reflected the moon above. There was a small shimmer of hope that still ate at his mind, and he considered tipping the boat and taking the chance to swim to safety. But... what good would that do? Ultimately his hopes were dashed when he was suddenly yanked backwards into the boat again. This time the force threw him onto his back, pain ringing out as his skull collided with the bottom just moments before he could feel slimy sea water drenching his hair.

"Me thinks he be lookin' to sleep with the fishes!"

"Aye. Makes me feel sorry fer the lad." The laughter following the comment confirmed the man's true lack of empathy for his horror-stricken prisoner.

The two pirates continued their gruff banter, but didn't say anything directly towards Haru. Their ignorance of his presence continued, even when they arrived at their ship and began passing him from person to person in order to haul him up the rope ladder and onto the deck of the ship.

He was thrown with a violent force onto the wood of the deck where he lay frozen, arms still tied behind his back and head still covered with the grimy bag. Haru could feel the cool of the deck against his bruised cheek. He could also both feel and hear pirates running back and forth on deck, shouting at one another with garish slang. His stomach gave another gut-wrenching twist of pain when he realized he could also hear raucous laughter of merriment weaving its way from buccaneer to buccaneer over their latest _conquest_.

"Get ready to set sail!" someone shouted out from above Haru, who was beginning to writhe around frantically to try and get a glimpse of _something_ going on around him. Through the bottom of the fabric that had rolled up slightly due to his movements, he caught sight of a pair of dirty black boots just seconds before one of them violently kicked him in his chest. The force sent a ragged cough of pain erupting from his raw throat, followed swiftly by a small bought of heavy coughs that wracked his body and pained his burnt lungs.

"Blimey!" an unknown voice from above him let out a cry of surprise, followed swiftly by a bellow of laughter from somewhere far off.

"Gyahahaha, trust me addled kin t' damage the Cap'n's booty!"

"Who ye be callin' addled? How was I t'know?" a rough hand suddenly grabbed the bag around Haru's head and ripped it off. A wave of fresh air was welcomed by Haru, clearing his lungs enough to stop his coughing fit. Blinking twice to adjust his eyes, the raven-haired prisoner twisted his head upwards to look at the man crouched above him.

His skin was tan like the previous two pirates he had seen, only slightly fairer in complexion. The hair on top of his head that was not covered with a strangely decorative white-and-black patterned bandana was a light red-orange, matched by golden eyes and sharp facial features that looked strangely familiar to Haru. The baggy shirt he wore was a worn-out orange with faded blotched spots, the material hanging loosely from his muscular, yet still rather gangly body. The shirt covered muddy brown breeches that were held up by a white scarf tied around his waist, hidden beneath a black belt also looped around his waist that matched his black boots. He was less accessorized than the previous men, the only jewellery he wore being a single gold hoop that dangled off of his left ear.

Of course, Haru didn't miss the splashes of blood staining his clothes.

"Ho, this lass be a beauty!" the young man whistled with a broad smile, only to be interrupted by another gruff howl of laughter.

"That be a _lad_, ye bilge rat," another pirate huskily laughed from off in the distance, causing the orange-haired pirate to stand up with anger flashing in his eyes. He immediately took off after whoever it was that had called him that, vanishing from Haru's vision. The commotion set the rest of the crew to laughing and hooting, many of them banging the hilts of their swords against wood to create noise.

"What be the cause of the commotion out here, me hearties?" a new voice suddenly joined the chaos and everyone immediately fell into silence. The voice sent a fresh chill down Haru's spine as he twisted his head around as much as possible, shuffling himself into a better position to see who had such command over the rowdy crew that he could draw them into silence with just his voice.

His vision was immediately filled with the sight of violent crimson eyes.

* * *

**Be in Davy's grip: To be close to death, or frightened**

**Smartly: Quickly, but well done**

**Blimey: An exclamation of surprise**

**Addled: Mad or insane, a derogatory slang**

**Lass: A way to address a younger female**

**Lad: A way to address a younger male**

**Bilge rat: A derogatory slang**

**Hearties: Term to refer to friendship among sailors**


	2. Chapter 2 :: Prisoner

His heart was beating so loud in his chest, Haru was certain everyone around him could hear it. He tried as hard as he could to still his beating heart and hide the growing fear that was beginning to pool in the pit of his stomach. That was easier said than done when he now found himself staring into the devilish eyes of the man who could be none other than the captain himself.

The buccaneer looming above the prisoner was tall and well-built, even if it was hard to see underneath the thick layers of clothes he wore. The man wore a beautiful crimson shirt that held fast against his muscular chest, covered by an ivory waistcoat with golden patterns woven along the edges. The shirt was tucked into loose-fitting black breeches that ended with black and gold boots that extended all the way up his calves and ended just below his knees. A black belt held his pants up, a gold sash wrapped intricately in and around the belt for obvious design. Atop all of that was a long crimson coat decorated with gold trim and design, its flowing bottom extending all the way to the man's knees.

Swallowing back the lump of fear in his throat, Haru allowed himself to continue staring into the captain's maroon eyes, half hidden by the messy crop of red hair that flowed down from the man's black and gold leather hat. The captain was also extravagantly accessorized compared to the rest of the pirates, a plentiful bounty of jewellery adorning the man's body. Each of his ten fingers were encased with different shapes and sizes of gold rings, both of his ears housing large golden earrings; his left had two, both golden hoops. However, the most striking piece of jewellery was also the least flashy. A braided leather cord surrounded the man's neck, different sized shark teeth strung to it to make a rather remarkable necklace.

The outfits worn by the rest of the crew were nowhere near as extravagant as this man's.

The crew remained silent as they watched their captain focus his attention on the black-haired prisoner that remained plastered against the deck floor. Haru flinched visibly when the captain suddenly crouched, bringing his face close enough that Haru could see his face reflecting in the man's eyes. His entire body shivered when the man suddenly smiled, a cruelly delighted smile that revealed sharp shark-like teeth, the two top canines encased completely in gold.

"Oh ho? Who may ye be?" the captain asked, his tone light and cheerful, yet still hardened with a demanding edge at the same time. Haru's cerulean eyes stared at the man from beneath water-logged bangs, words unable to be processed within his traumatised mind. The massacre of his hometown still encased him in numb horror, his ears unable to rid themselves of his friends' dying screams. His tongue felt heavy, his mouth opening and closing with effort but nothing coming out.

A look of anger slowly began to furrow the captain's face before he stood up and turned his heated gaze towards the black-haired man with turquoise eyes.

"If ye were to crimp a lad, have at one that can speak 'is own name," he snarled, his mood darkening ever so slightly. As he spoke, his sharp fangs flashed in his mouth like a wild animal prepared to rip apart its prey.

"Aye. There be nothin' wrong with him, he just be stubborn," came the bass reply, the hollow thuds of boots colliding against wood vibrating the floor as the pirate strolled towards them. Haru let out a grunt when the man suddenly grabbed his bangs and yanked his head upwards with sudden violence. "Smartly now, tell the Captain yer name," the man whispered into Haru's ear with hot and husky breath.

He smelled like blood.

The prisoner did his best to swallow back the fear enough so that he could speak, frightened of what would happen if he still could not form any coherent answers.

"Haruka," he finally managed to force his name past dry lips, his response bringing a good mood back to the captain, who swiftly lowered himself down again with a smile back on his face. However, the smile was terrifying, a cruel show of benevolence from a heartless man that had commanded the devastation brought upon Haru's life.

"Haruka, eh? What an interestin' name fer a lad," the captain rumbled with laughter, causing a ripple of chuckles to roll through the pirate crew. For the first time that night, Haru could feel a new emotion besides fear as he frowned ever so slightly at the captain's words. He knew his name was a woman's name and having that pointed out had never been on his list of 'most favourable conversation topics'.

"Captain," the black-haired pirate suddenly spoke, gripping the prisoner's hair even harder as he pulled his head even further back. Pain blossomed in Haru's neck and he struggled slightly to try and free himself, but that made the man's fingers twist even tighter into his hair. "This lad, is he not the one ye've been searchin' fer?" the black-haired man rumbled, turquoise eyes glancing down lazily to look at the teen boy. Red eyes stared at Haru for a long moment before the captain suddenly erupted into cheerful laughter, smacking his knee as if he had just realized something important.

"Haha, sink me down! Yer right, he does look like him, doesn't he? The lad's deadlights look just like his did," the crimson captain purred, suddenly reaching forwards to stroke ring-encased fingers along the prisoner's cheek. Haru shivered at the cold touch of a rough hand on his face, fingers brushing up next to his eyes before dipping downwards and dragging themselves across the bloody cuts on his face. He did not allow his face to contort into one of fear and discomfort, but even so he couldn't help but cringe away from the touch. From one look into the captain's eyes he could tell the man had noticed his momentary weakness.

The captain dragged his thumb along one of the cuts, pushing in slightly and causing fresh blood to dribble out of it. He lazily drew his thumb along the cheek to wipe up the blood before lifting it towards his face, the cruelly comforting smile no longer present. Shark teeth flashed as he opened his mouth to lick up the blood on his thumb, brow furrowing ever so slightly as if he were contemplating something. The raven-haired teen didn't say anything, he simply watched as the captain smiled after lapping up his blood.

"Make haste, ye scurvy dogs! We set sail!" the captain suddenly cried as he removed himself from a crouch and lifted himself back into a standing position. With a dramatic twist of his crimson coat he was gone, heading towards the pirate-congregated section of the ship. His disappearance left Haru still in the clutches of the tall bronzed man.

The pirates around them scrambled to their posts, running back and forth along the deck as they pulled on ropes and riggings, setting the sails to catch the wind and drag them out to sea. The blue eyes of the hostage turned sideways to catch the last glimpse he would ever have of his home, large flames still shooting high into the sky. He felt another round of nausea come over him, but the horrible memories he still had of that night were thankfully disrupted by the physical pain of his bangs being held. Eventually the strain on his neck would grow too great for him to handle and he would begin to wriggle, arms straining against their confines and forcing the twisted rope to dig even further into his wrists.

"L-let me go," he stuttered and the man immediately released him without saying anything. Haru slumped forwards slightly before he allowed himself to turn his head upwards once again, his blue eyes meeting the lidded turquoise ones of the black-haired pirate. The man was still heavily saturated in blood and seemed to have no remorse to the tragedy he had been part of. Haru felt himself grow cold in horror at how someone could be so cruel to other human beings and yet feel nothing.

The two stared at one another in silence with icy gazes, and frightened as he was, Haru could not help but feel this was one man he could not allow himself to show fear to. Like prey cornered by a predator, if he were to show any sign of weakness, he would certainly be devoured. Their staring match ended only when they were interrupted as the captain once more strolled back into view.

"Make haste matey, throw the lad in th'hold then join me afore the helm," he snapped out as he passed by, his crimson coat fluttering elegantly around his body as he quickly ascended to the very top deck of the ship.

Immediately Haru felt a strong grip on the back of his shirt as he was dragged off of his knees and onto his feet. Without even having a chance to gather his bearings he was violently yanked forwards, before being pulled down into the belly of the ship in one swift motion. They descended one flight of stairs that creaked and groaned with each step, causing the teen to believe one of them would snap and send him falling through. The steps remained sturdy, however, and they finally made it down the first flight to the first level of the ship's interior.

Cerulean eyes darted from side to side as he took in his surroundings. The large expanse of flooring was mostly clutter-free, with only a few boxes and barrels scattered here and there. It wasn't difficult to discern most, if not all, contained ammunition, whether it was cannon balls or gunpowder. What took up most of the room was rows of cannons that lined each side, their muzzles currently pulled into the ship with the portholes closed. At the far end of the room, on both sides, were doors that lead to other rooms.

He only had a few seconds to make observations before he was suddenly dragged down yet another flight of stairs, bringing him even further into the ship.

The air on the second level was even more foul than the level above, the heavy stench of filthy water and something rotten filling the air. The teen almost gagged at the smell, desperate to go back to the main deck of the ship to breathe in the cool, fresh air. His lungs hurt enough as it was from the fire's ash, and the dead air in the second level did not help as he began to cough once again. As the ship caught wind and began to move further out to sea, Haru could feel the rocking and swaying of the water as it slapped against the wood of the ship. He found himself growing rather fearful at the idea of being down below in the dark, where the only lights available were dull lanterns that threatened to blow out at each dip of movement.

Unlike the previous floor, this one was filled with cluttered boxes, barrels, sheets, bottles - all sorts of supplies. Haru had even less time to look around the room before he was dragged deeper into the room by the tanned man, who even now refused to say anything. Moving amongst the multitude of clutter sent up waves of dust that forced the black-haired teen to cough once again, his throat already raw and burning as if on fire. Eventually they stopped in front of a large cell made completely out of rusted iron. Opening the door, the pirate roughly shoved Haru in before shutting it and locking it with a set of keys he pulled down from a hook on the wall. Once finished, he locked the keys on his belt and headed back up to the top deck.

The cell was dark and damp, a rough wooden bench being all that Haru had to comfortably sit on. As soon as he reclined on the bench he felt exhaustion pulling at him, both his mind and body completely spent. He positioned himself into as comfortable a position as he could manage with his hands still tied, and as soon he was done he allowed his sorrow to overtake him.

Tears streamed down his dirty and bloody face, body wracked with small whimpers that he bit his lips to try and prevent from vocally escaping him. He didn't want to cry, he wanted to be strong, but he still found himself weak and unable to fully comprehend everything that had happened that night.

Haru didn't know how long he stayed curled up on that bench crying, but eventually exhaustion won him over and dragged him into sleep, lulled by the rocking of the waves.

He awoke to the sound of someone speaking. His arms were completely numb and his head pounded in pain, but he managed to open his bleary blue eyes to see who was talking. It was still dark within the hold, so it didn't take long for his eyes to adjust to the dim light. Standing outside of his prison cell, wearing a worried expression on his face, was a man that looked to be even younger than him.

The young man was skinny with awfully pale skin, the silver hair on his head falling in tousled clumps around his face. Just peeking out from underneath shaggy silver bangs were sad blue eyes, along with a signature beauty mark under his right eye. He wore a baggy white shirt that seemed too large for his frame, tucked into dusty gray breeches that also seemed a size too large for him. Around his waist a white scarf was tied, overlapped with a brown belt matching his brown boots that only went as high as his ankles. He also had a set of gold earrings just barely visible underneath his hair. Atop his head the pirate sported a black tricorne hat that looked plain awkward and didn't seem to fit him properly.

"... What?" Haru suddenly sputtered when he realized the newcomer was staring at him, clearly expecting a reply.

"I said I'm here to check your wounds," the young man replied, a small smile on his face that for once held no hidden malevolence behind closed lips. He quickly dug a set of rusted keys out of his pants and opened the door.

The pirate walked into the cell and locked the door behind him before approaching Haru calmly. Even though he seemed to hold no ill intentions towards the prisoner, Haru couldn't help but flinch when the pirate reached out a hand towards him. The silver-haired buccaneer tried his best to reassure Haru he wasn't going to hurt him, but after being so brutally victimized, it was no surprise that the black-haired teen felt uncomfortable being touched. The pirate suddenly let out a sharp intake of breath, and before the prisoner could even scurry away, he reached forwards and grabbed at the rope surrounding Haru's wrists.

"Really though... Yamazaki could have at least untied you," the man tsked, making quick work of cutting through the rope. Haru let out a sigh of relief when he was able to stretch his arms out in front of him, rubbing at the raw, bloodied skin on his wrists to try and return circulation. He still flinched visibly when he felt lithe fingers touching at the skin on his wrists, but he finally allowed the newcomer to touch him without moving away.

Eventually the black-haired teen scooted along the bench, giving the other man some room to sit. The pirate grabbed Haru's jaw, turning his head to the side as he inspected the lacerations for a moment. After apparently making some sort of diagnostic, he pulled some primitive medicine out of a pouch along his waist that Haru hadn't noticed before.

The strange man worked mostly in silence, muttering the occasional apology whenever Haru would wince as the medicine burned against his cuts. Haru, too, was silent for the most part, deciding to talk only when the quiet finally started to get to him.

"You don't talk the same," he murmured, and when the pirate cast him a quizzical look, he rephrased it, "You don't talk like the rest of them."

"Aye..." the silver-haired man muttered in a sad tone, a small smile stretching across his face as he let out a sigh, but continued to work nonetheless. "I was not a pirate to begin with. I was a simple merchant when the pirates captured my ship and killed my crew..." his voice wavered for a moment before he continued on with renewed strength. "The only reason I was spared was because I'm a surgeon, something that is awfully rare to come across on a pirate ship."

Haru felt a painful wrench in his gut at the familiar story. His friends had also been killed, only him lucky enough to have been spared and taken... But what could the reason be? He was not a surgeon, or even a fighter; he was simply a fisherman and held no obvious value for the pirates.

The silver-haired pirate leaned away from Haru, examining his work for a moment before giving it a nod of approval. "Pardon me..." he murmured as he grabbed the bottom of Haru's shirt and began to roll it halfway up his torso. Soft fingers touched along Haru's hips and abdomen, ghosting across the dark bruises that were already appearing on the muscular body. He pulled the top of Haru's pants down slightly to get a better look at the bruises, a light pink washing across his cheeks and ears. The black-haired teen flinched at the feeling of the pirate's hands on his body, but he didn't allow himself to scurry away out of fear again.

Haru didn't say anything, simply stared at the surgeon in silence as he began to experimentally massage the bruises before wrapping his waist in bandages.

"Do you not hate him?" Haru suddenly spoke, breaking the silence once more. "The man who killed your friends... Do you not wish him to pay for his sins?" he whispered in a solemn voice, his mind wandering back to what had happened to him. He felt a familiar choke in his throat, but quickly willed away the memories before he started to cry again.

"Nay. In a way, I admire him," the surgeon whispered, his motions ceasing for a moment as he leaned back and let his blue gaze match that of Haru's. "It be best if you did too. The Cap'n has taken an interest in you, and I don't reckon he would take too kindly if you did not pay him back for his mercy."

Once finished, the surgeon suddenly stood up, packed his medication, and headed back to the cell door. Unlocking it, he opened it to walk out, but before doing so he looked back over his shoulder one last time.

"After all, he's been looking for you for nearly a decade now."

* * *

**Crimp: To obtain new sailors by trickery or coercion**

**Sink me: An expression of surprise**

**Deadlights: Eyes**

**Matey: A familiar term meaning friend**

**Helm: The steering wheel of a ship which controls the rudder**

**Thank you everyone for the favourites! Thanks also to everyone that's commented, glad you guys are enjoying it so far! I wasn't sure how people would receive this story, so it's definitely good to know people are enjoying it so far :) Also thanks to everyone else for the follows!**


	3. Chapter 3 :: Proposition

**Because several people asked me for the ages of characters, here they are:**

**Haru - late teens, probably 19 almost 20**

**Rin - late twenties, 27 or 28**

**Sousuke - early thirties, 31**

**Mikoshiba brothers - mid twenties**

**Ai - around 21, although Haru thinks he's a teen**

* * *

"Ye sure that not be a woman?"

"Arrr, of course I be sure! Beauties must have ample bosoms t'fit in yer hand. That one be flat as a plank."

"Is that so?"

"Hahaha, ye don't know that much? We need to be gettin' ye a wench it seems. What have ye been doin' this entire time?"

The rustling of clothes, along with a 'Where ye be touchin' me!?' finally made Haru bolt up from the wooden bench. He had been feigning sleep, hoping the pirates would grow ill of their talk and leave, but it seemed it was to no avail.

"Oh, he be awake," one of the men murmured as Haru finally turned to face them. He groaned inwardly as he recognized them as the two pirates that have constantly been down on his level of the ship, talking about him whenever they thought he was asleep. The raven-haired teen was still unable to completely shake his memory of that night from his mind, and the last thing he wanted to partake in was a conversation with the murderers who killed his friends. So far he had gotten lucky in not having to talk to them, but it seemed his luck had finally ended.

Being locked in a dark and murky iron cell, with only a small porthole further down the room to provide light during the day, made it hard to tell how long he had been aboard the pirate ship for. At first he had tried to keep track, but after only four days it already began to become an impossible task to remember, so he stopped. Besides the occasional meal and visit from the silver-haired pirate, who he had learned later went by the name of Aiichiro Nitori, he spent most of his days curled up on the wooden bench, either awake crying or sleeping through another nightmare. During his times of anguish he found himself lulled by the rocking of the waves, but it wasn't good enough. The slapping of the water against the side of the ship drove him crazy, making him thirst for the chance to get a glimpse of his beloved ocean once again. How long would he be kept in the dark?

Releasing another quiet groan, Haru turned his cerulean eyes towards the two pirates that had wandered closer to his cell. He stared into their matching golden eyes, the color still sending shivers down his spine each time it brought back memories of being pinned beneath the wooden pillar, predatory gold eyes staring him down, hungry for the kill. The hair of the two pirates was only a few shades different but otherwise almost identical as well. He had learned from the surgeon that these two were brothers, and while they were often found bickering and fighting with one another, for the most part they got along swimmingly.

"Ahoy! Yer Haruka, right?" the smaller of the duo spoke first, wrapping his fingers through the cell bars so he could lean in and stare intently at the black-haired teen. "How's about ye lift yer shirt there and give us a good look, lassie? I know yer a woman," he challenged, a crooked yet uncomfortably friendly smile on his face. Haru could never get used to their smiles, so fiendishly friendly even though he knew of the malevolence their smiles housed. They could smile so happily, even at their victims...

The younger of the two brothers let out a yelp when he was suddenly bashed upside the head by his older brother, who roared with laughter. "Gyahaha, ye bilge-suckin' blowfish. I shiver in me boots to think what ma woulda thought of ye," he laughed in exaggerated exasperation as he quickly made to run back to the top deck, followed swiftly by the younger brother who swore curses at his retreating brother's back.

_'So noisy...'_ Haru thought as he idly scratched the back of his head, ruffling up his dirty hair that stank and clung disgustingly to his head. He wanted nothing more than to have a bath, but figured it would be useless to ask anyone. Releasing a breath now that he had silence again, a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding, he stood up from the bench where he spent most of his days and wandered over to the far end of the cage so he could stick his arms through the bars and lean forwards. Dull eyes looked out to where he could see pale light streaming through one of the small portholes, announcing it was yet another dawn.

He knew that Ai would be coming soon to feed him and unwrap the last few bandages that were still around his waist. Though the bruises had finally disappeared from his body, he could still feel a piercing pain through his hips every time he moved, a lasting memory of _that_ night. He was thankful that the pillar had not done any lasting damage to him, just left him with an aching body and bruised bones.

Blue eyes wandered downwards as he rubbed at his wrists, still sporting bruises and welts, damage caused by the tight rope he had been tied with. Now awake, Haru couldn't help but let his mind wander. He didn't fully understand yet why he was aboard the pirate ship, especially since he hasn't seen the captain again since the first night he was taken. In fact, his interactions with the pirates in general were kept to a minimum, Ai being the only one to actually seek him out and engage him in a conversation.

"The Captain be wantin' to talk to ye," a sudden and unexpected voice made Haru jump slightly as he turned around and found himself face-to-face with the black-haired pirate's half-lidded turquoise eyes. Though the man appeared to be rather apathetic as he stood at the door to the cell, arms crossed across his chest so that the muscles along his body were pronounce, Haru could sense a strange dislike flashing in the man's eyes.

Like the first night he had met the pirate, Haru felt a strange urgency to not allow this man to taste his weakness. He quickly composed himself before turning to face him, face calm as he forced his fear to retreat to the back of his mind.

"If the Captain wants to talk to me..." Haru began to speak, unsure of where he got his sudden surge of courage, "he can come here himself." Yeah... he knew it was a stupid thing to say as soon as he had gotten the words out of his mouth. As quiet as Haru normally was, he had never been one to simply conform to someone else's will. He was a _free_ spirit, someone that liked to do things his way and his way only. It was especially true when a _pirate_ thought he could try and control Haru after what they had done to him.

Something flashed in the murky depths of the level-headed man's eyes for only a brief second before he unlocked the iron door and yanked it open. He wasted no time in grabbing the front of Haru's tattered shirt, his impressive height allowing him to yank the teen upwards until he was just barely standing on the tips of his toes.

Haru's cool facade immediately fell as terror took hold of him, his hands grabbing at the arm currently supporting him as the rest of his body writhed in panic. It didn't take long for him to realize the buccaneer was _smirking_, almost as if he had just won something. The hostage immediately cursed himself for falling for the pirate's trick.

"Aye... _Thought_ so," the pirate pulled Haru closer and whispered hot breath into his ear before yanking him out of the cell and back up the creaky wooden steps. The teen could barely keep up with the long strides of the man, especially since he had spent more than a week confined in a small cell that barely gave him any room to move. He tripped several times on the stairs but the man never slowed his pace; he merely pulled Haru along without much strain to his walk.

Blue eyes squeezed shut as the bright light of the sun suddenly greeted him, followed quickly by the salty spray of the sea and the delicious taste of fresh air. His lungs expanded as he took it all in, glad to have fresh air once again. It was much different than the rank stench of the ship's belly. The fresh air helped soothe his healing lungs which had only just began to stop forcing the teen into coughing fits in the middle of the night. Haru didn't have much time to savour it before he was pulled along again, their destination being the large carved door that sat at the far end of the ship, just below the helm.

Even though he was practically being dragged along, he did not waste the opportunity to quickly scan the deck with his eyes to take in the surroundings. While some pirates pulled on riggings and raced one another up the rope ladders to the top of the crow's nest, most lazed around, laughing at one another as they sang boisterous shanties into the calm wind.

A hard knock on wood drew Haru's attention back to what was happening in front of him just moments before he was shoved violently into a room with the door slamming behind him seconds later. He fell hard on his hands and knees but he was quick to get back to his feet, even with the resounding pain in his hips.

The captain's cabin was spectacular. Besides the ornate lanterns that hung throughout the area to bathe everything in an orange glow, the room was covered with old maps, leather-bound books, and other strange oddities that Haru couldn't recognize. In fact, the room was filled with piles upon piles of objects that the raven-haired teen did not know the names of, ranging from exotic animal pelts, to skeletons of animals hanging along the walls, to household items of the filthy rich. Natural light filled the cabin as well, coming from the large windows along the stern of the ship.

That's when he saw him.

The captain was in front of the windows, blocking out much of the light as he sat hunched over a large ornately-carved wood desk. Piles of maps and navigational instruments lay spread out before him, along with quills and sheets of paper with writing on them.

Haru instinctively swallowed as he found himself staring into cold red eyes, eyes that were trained on him. He had not seen the pirate captain since that first night, and even seeing him for the second time, he couldn't help but feel fear pooling in the pit of his stomach. It was _this_ man that had sanctioned the attack on his hometown; _this_ man that was now allowing him to stay alive on the ship. The captain was dressed just as extravagantly as before, which only added to his intimidating aura.

The captain's look never wavered, not even as the silence began to stretch out uncomfortably between the two men, with the pirate sitting at his desk and the fisherman standing awkwardly near the entrance to the cabin.

"Ye know..." the captain suddenly began to speak, making the boy jump at the sudden sound of his cool, collected voice rolling through the air. "Ye remind me of a siren. With yer pretty face and sweet voice I keep findin' meself wanting to hear more of." With a loud clatter the chair he was sitting on was shoved backwards as he stood up, boots thudding against the wood as he strolled rather quickly over to the teen. Haru backed up quickly until his heels hit the door and his back pressed against cool wood. The captain suddenly slammed one of his hands close to the boy's head while the other was used to cup his chin with rough fingers and pull his face upwards.

Being close enough to feel the pirate's hot breath on his face, Haru couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt when he found himself admiring the captain's rather handsome face. His face had very sharp and well defined features, his eyes a beautiful crimson that matched the red locks of his hair.

"What say ye, Haruka _Nanase_."

Haru felt his heart jump. "What..." he stammered, causing the redhead to chuckle as he released the teen's chin and took a couple steps back. "What did you say?" he finally managed to ask his full question, his previously stoic face falling into shock.

"Haruka Nanase. That be yer kin's name, no?" the red-haired man asked with another chuckle, tipping his head to the side slightly as he observed his prisoner. "Aye, ye look too much like him. I know it be in yer blood. Me crew also tell me yer a right ol' sea dog."

"I do not know how you know my family's name, but I'm not who you think I am."

_'Idiot, just play the part! If you really aren't who he thinks you are, you'll be killed_,_'_ Haru's inner voice screamed at him in panic. He knew it and yet he couldn't help but disbelieve he could ever be someone that was wanted by a _pirate_. He was a simple fisherman in a small, relatively unknown town. His mother had died when he was just a small child, and his father had died at sea not long after Haru had become a sailor. There was nothing extraordinary about him... Definitely not something this pirate was looking for.

The atmosphere of the room was beginning to grow heavy, an unfamiliar type of fear beginning to knot itself in Haru's stomach. Like cornered prey, he felt the need to flee the room, even though he knew there were pirates outside as well, waiting for him. The black-haired boy reached down with his hands as he began to fumble around looking for the door knob that would let him escape the cabin. He scrambled around furiously while still trying to look nonchalant, but he wasn't fast enough. The crimson captain suddenly moved forwards once again until he was close enough for Haru to feel his hot breath on his face. He was cornered against the door, the man's glittering eyes holding a hungry gleam in their depths.

"Aye... I want ye. Join me crew, matey, I'll show ye a sight ye've never seen before," the man whispered, a smile crawling across his face. His sharp shark teeth were the only thing Haru could see as the man leaned forwards, and instinctively the teen raised both hands to push against his broad chest.

"I'll never join you. I only sail _free_, and I most certainly," his voice had been wavering when he started, but he slowly gained back courage as he glared into the crimson eyes filling his vision, "will _never_ sail for you."

"... Oh ho?" the captain smirked at Haru, and the teen felt a chill run down his spine before he suddenly found himself freefalling through the air, landing with a jolt on his back. He had been leaning against the door for support, so when the captain had suddenly opened the door to the main deck, Haru had fallen back immediately with his support now gone.

"Avast ye sea rats! Looks like we need t'be givin' the young lad here," the crimson pirate suddenly bellowed out, and Haru could only stare up with eyes wide in horror as the man flashed him a chilling smile, "a good _reason_ t'be joinin' our here crew!"

* * *

**Shanties: Songs sung by sailors as they worked on the ship**

**Stern: The rear end of a vessel**

**Avast: A command meaning stop or desist**

**Thank you everyone for the favourites! Thanks also to everyone that commented, glad everyone's still enjoying it! :D Also thanks to everyone else for the follows**


	4. Chapter 4 :: Hunters

**Here's a small 'side story' if you will, since it's indirectly tied into the main story (for now). I'll be putting a few of these in sporadically through the series so you know what's happening with Makoto and crew before they all meet up. I'll probably also use these to spark new questions in you guys, so if by the end of the chapter you end up with questions about the characters and their backstories, I'll know I've done my job well!**

* * *

The light rocking of the ship against the waves was soothing, with the constant motion of the vessel heaving back and forth gently along with the soft hush of the water as it moved within the bay. Night spread the moon's pale light across the harbour, silhouetting itself against the skeletons of ships that sat abandoned at the docks, their owners in town drinking and soliciting with prostitutes. One such ship stood out amongst all the rest, its gargantuan size dwarfing the rest of the ships surrounding it. It was a beautiful piece of architecture with its darkly-stained oak wood, large billowing sails, and majestic wooden dolphin carved onto its bow, like a silent guardian angel.

The captain's cabin beneath the helm was dark except for the small glow of an oil lantern that sat at the corner of a desk situated in the center of the room. A large, ancient nautical map was splayed out over the surface with various objects pinning down the corners, including a worn sextant and compass. Sitting in the large chair facing the desk, arms stretched outwards so he could hunch forwards over the map, was the young captain himself.

Makoto Tachibana: he was what you would call a buccaneer-turned-privateer. He had become a pirate captain at a very young age, and while he had been praised by many as a good and fair leader, he had never become one of the _greats_. Perhaps it was because of this lack of violence to stain his history that the Royal British Navy had offered him a contract to work under their ward, rather than send him to the gallows where he would have been hung for his crimes of piracy. His contract had been officialised only a few months ago, and now he was equipped with his very own ship and crew, about to embark on his first official mission.

His emerald eyes squinted to adjust to the dark light as they traced over the dark outlines on the map that represented when sea turned to land. The young captain's focus was so intent over his map that he didn't even hear someone come into the cabin. He was alerted to their presence only when they finally spoke.

"I am here, sir, as per your request," a soft, airy voice broke the silence and caused him to jump slightly. Giving an embarrassed chuckle, Makoto rubbed the back of his neck to calm his momentary beating heart before returning his attention to his map. He didn't need to look up to know who it was that stood before him.

"Excellent. In the morning I want you to introduce yourself to my other important officers: Rei Ryugazaki, my Navigator, and Nagisa Hazuki, my Boatswain," he spoke, the flickering of the lantern's flame creating chaotic shadows across the paper.

"I understand," the newcomer replied, their voice trailing off with only the sound of soft waves to break the silence. Their presence lingered for a moment longer before they turned back towards the open door, boots clicking in their wake as the person made to exit the cabin.

"Hey..." Makoto suddenly whispered in a hesitant tone, making the other privateer stop in their tracks just before they had exited through the door. "Are you certain this mission is something you wish to accompany me on?

"Sir?"

"You know what this mission is about, correct?" he began to speak louder now as he finally turned his head upwards to look at the one he was talking to, their small body silhouetted in the door by the moonlight. "My mission is to capture the Shark of the North and bring him back to be hung for his crimes of piracy. If I am unable to capture him, I am to kill him at sea." He paused for a moment, and seeing no reaction from them, he continued hesitantly. "No matter the end... It is either his death, or ours."

"I understand," the privateer answered in a breathy tone, only after a small moment of hesitation. Releasing a low sigh, they slowly began to walk back towards the captain and into what small light the lantern offered. "Do you think I would jeopardize the mission?"

"Well, I-"

"Because he's my brother?"

Makoto looked into the woman's crimson red eyes, covered by equally red bangs that flowed down across her face. Her head remained held high, determined eyes glistening with confidence. Her stiff shoulders, however, betrayed the sting of anger that gnawed at her from his hinted accusations. She leaned forwards suddenly, her long hair flowing down around her shoulders as she looked at him with a level stare.

"_I_ found _you_, remember? I joined because I-" she paused momentarily to bite at her bottom lip before continuing, "I have my reasons."

"Gou-"

"Kou."

Makoto stared at her for a moment before correcting himself for her. "_Kou_, it's not that I don't trust you. I just can't imagine having to follow orders that would ultimately bring about the death of my sibling..." he muttered sadly, eyes moving back and forth between her eyes and her mouth, hoping to get some explanation through her facial expressions. However, she did not provide him any answers, her face remaining determined but otherwise stoic.

"Captain... Do you have any siblings?" Gou asked quietly, averting her eyes to look downwards at the small lantern and the dancing flame inside.

"No," Makoto murmured, eyes downcast.

"Then you couldn't possibly understand how I'm feeling. Sometimes... You must do what's right, for both you and your sibling, no matter what the end result may be. _Sometimes_, not even blood relations can stop you from doing your duty," she sighed softly, before straightening herself out into a standing position once again. Her eyes closed as she took a deep breath before opening her eyes once again with a strained smile on her face. "That reminds me, I've recently been hearing tales of the port of Verbena being destroyed almost a week ago. I believe it's the work of my brother."

Makoto flinched visibly when he heard the name of the town, his eyes wide and mouth open in shock. Gou scrunched her brow and leaned down to look at him, worry in her eyes.

"... Sir?" she asked, and her voice seemed to snap him out of it.

"Are you sure?" Makoto asked, regaining slight composure over himself.

"Yes, I am. He's my brother after all, I know him better than anyone," she smiled reassuringly, before backing away from the desk and back towards the door. "I better be off. You have a good night Captain, see you in the morning," she whispered solemnly before she turned and vanished from sight, closing the door in her wake. The captain was left leaning back in his chair, eyes staring uselessly at the ceiling above.

Rin Matsuoka, also known as the Shark of the North, was a scourge that pillaged ships and towns alike no matter what affiliation they had. He was a terror that roamed the seas and turned them as red as his eyes; a pirate that many sought to see answer for his crimes. Makoto, now contracted by the Royal Navy, had been given the grave mission to deal with him. His superiors believed his own history of piracy would help him search for the pirate captain better than any born privateer could. Once given the mission, he had gone out to search the neighbouring islands to find the best crew around to help him deal with the murderer. It had been a miracle when Gou had found him one day, claiming to be the sister of the infamous pirate... And with one look at her, he had instantly known she was telling the truth.

Sighing, the man rubbed his face with one of his hands, exhaustion eventually getting the best of him. He knew it would be pointless to continue trying to chart a course to take with his mind now fogged with exhaustion, especially now that Gou had given him a clue to her brother's previous whereabouts. It was a clue he planned to immediately take action on, only hoping her hunch was correct.

Leaning forwards again, his eyes searched around on the map for a moment before he brushed his fingers across a dark mark on the map. In cursive it said _Verbena_.

Makoto stayed hunched over his map for a long time before finally pushing himself into a standing position and heading to a corner of his room where his small bed was. Looking outside at the moon that hung high in the sky, he knew that his men wouldn't be back until well into the next day, most likely not even until later in the afternoon. After all that drinking and sleeping around with women... He could feel his ears grow slightly hot as he shook the thought out of his head, pushing off his boots and climbing into the bed.

He lay on his back for a while, staring up at the ceiling, the lantern still lit so it would provide him with a small amount of light.

Tomorrow they would head out on a mission that would only end when one of them met their demise. Captain Matsuoka needed to be killed, and the only way Captain Tachibana would stop hunting him was if he himself was killed. He wondered for a moment if he would be brave enough to send his crew into a battle they may not come out alive from... But quickly shook the thought away. He need to be optimistic. Turning over onto his side, he finally closed his eyes and let sleep take him.

The hunt of a lifetime was soon to begin.

* * *

**Bow: The front end of a vessel**

**Buccaneer: A pirate**

**Privateer: A pirate that was sanctioned by a government to attack enemy vessels; a legal pirate**

**Navigator: Responsible for navigation, sailing the ship, and occasionally chart new maps**

**Boatswain: Supervised maintenance of the vessel and its supplies; also in charge of deck activities such as setting the sails**

**Thank you everyone for your favourites and reviews thus far! I'm happy to know everyone's enjoying the concept and the story so far! I was very apprehensive at first about what people would think about it, so it's good to know people do like it. Gives me great inspiration ^-^; Also thanks to everyone else for the follows!**


	5. Chapter 5 :: Infliction

**I won't be doing this for any future chapters, but since this is the first major one I'll attach a warning here.**

**Warnings: Semi-descriptive gore and blood, as well as torture**

* * *

Everything felt so hot, it hurt; no, it _burned_. He could feel the tongues of fire upon his skin as if it was trying to eat him alive, torching his flesh and devouring him whole. Haru tried to scream but his voice was caught in his raw throat, his body writhing helplessly as the hot sensation burned his nerves and forced unimaginable pain unto him. His muscles shrieked in pain as he tried to move, tried to do _something_ to get away from the inferno, but he found himself unable to move as the flames engulfed his entire back. His raw and burnt flesh howled each time he moved, and yet he couldn't keep still because he needed to get away.

A jolt of cold fear, a stark contrast to the heat around him, ran through his spine when he heard strangled screams come from nearby. Blue eyes looked upwards to find the source of the scream, only to widen in mute horror as he found himself surrounded by blood-stained ground, hidden only by gored corpses that littered the ground.

He could remember the last time he saw so much _red_. It was happening again.

Familiar cries jolted him from his stunned stupor and he began to struggle in the bloodied mud once again, trying to force himself up enough to help his dying friends. _'No! I... have to...' _trying to put together a sentence in his mind was hard enough, but trying to form the words on his tongue was impossible. The only coherent noise to be strangled from his lungs was pained howls as the fire continued to burn his back.

Haru's entire world was consumed by the hungry fire, his mind distracted only when sudden rough laughter shocked him out of his stunned state. Head twisted upwards to find a large man standing above him, the glow of the fire reflected by shark teeth bared together in a malevolent smile. Light reflected off of a bloodstained metal only moments before pain seized his entire chest, eyes going wide as they took in the thick blade of a cutlass thrust deep into his chest, piercing flesh and bone and heading straight for his heart.

_'Aah... I-I'm... dying?'_ At least he wouldn't be eaten alive by the fire any longer. A heavy weight fell on his mind as he closed his eyes, allowing himself to fall into a deep, everlasting sleep.

Then he jolted awake.

The raven-haired teen immediately tried to move his body but ended up releasing a wrenching cry as a hot, burning sensation ran through his entire body. The origin of the pain came from his back and he immediately panicked, believing he was still being burned alive by a gluttonous inferno. He released a silent cry at the thought, blue eyes straining to get their bearings in the dark room. The only light to greet him was the pale light provided by the flickering of a candle in a lone lantern. Haru could see something dark on the ground beneath him - it was blood. He released another cry as something was suddenly poured down his burning back, spine arcing upwards involuntarily. He felt a hand on his shoulder pushing him back down against the wooden bench he lay on.

"Easy there, matey. You're in rough shape," a familiar voice cut through the darkness, breaking Haru from his waking nightmare and drawing him back to reality.

"Aiichiro...?" the teen barely managed to mumble, his teeth still clenched together because of the pain lacing through his back. "What happe- ahh!"

The surgeon was quiet, but he laid a reassuring hand on Haru's shoulder as the liquid was once more drizzled across the prisoner's back, inciting another white-hot flash of pain. The teen lay sweating and panting upon the bench, the pain so intense he couldn't even find it in himself to shed a tear over it. He lay too worn out and exhausted to ask any more questions, his back numb and almost unable to comprehend the fleeting touches of Ai's fingers on his skin. Eventually he would feel skilful hands wrapping thick layers of bandages around the entire length of his torso. The cloth felt smooth and cool, a welcome contrast to his pain.

"You don't remember?" the silver-haired man suddenly spoke, and Haru was able to lift his head enough to look into the cool blue eyes of the worried man. The teen furrowed his brow for a moment, having difficulty concentrating, before his eyes flew wide as he remembered.

"Avast ye sea rats! Looks like we need t'be givin' the young lad here a good _reason_ t'be joinin' our here crew!"

Haru lay on the deck of the ship, staring up in shock at the crimson captain that stood above him in all his glory, sharp shark teeth bared in a twisted smile. He found himself stunned into silence, horror already sinking in.

The next thing he knew, he was being hauled to his feet by rough hands and dragged away from the man, but their eyes never left one another - fiery reds met oceanic blues the entire time.

"Let the lad kiss the gunner's daughter!" Haru's stare wavered when he heard the loud commanding voice coming from nearby, and turned his head to look at the man that had shouted the orders. It was the bronze, black-haired man with turquoise eyes, who turned his head when he noticed the prisoner staring at him - and flashed Haru a malignant smile. That was enough to shock the teen into action as he began to struggle, his body bucking and limbs writhing in an attempt to shake off the pirates clinging to his arms. All his motions seemed to incite was laughter amongst the pirate crew as they watched him struggle.

He was no match for the bloodthirsty buccaneers. They brought him with relative ease over to one of the cannons lining the port side of the ship, before pushing him onto its rough surface. He could feel the cool metal of the cannon barrel against his chest, even with his dirty shirt still clinging to his body. A couple of pirates rushed forwards to twist knotted rope around his wrists and bind his arms to the bottom of the cannon, preventing him from freeing himself no matter how hard he struggled. The rough rope cut into his previously healing wrists, reopening old wounds and sending small rivulets of blood down his hands.

"Nng!" he couldn't help but release a grunt at the feel of cold steel sliding along his back, slashing through his shirt but leaving his body unharmed. The cool spray of the sea water danced along his now exposed skin, and the pirates that had been loudly cheering moments ago were now silent as they watched the prisoner struggle against his bonds.

The first strike was unexpected, brutal, _painful_; his mouth gaped in silence as he threw his head back, unable to even scream. His back arced instantly as the nine lashes struck him simultaneously, causing faint but burning marks to lacerate his back. Haru tried his best to keep his voice quiet, but it eventually became futile when the cat of nine tails came down again, and again, and _again_.

The lacerations on his back grew deeper and longer until skin began to completely give way, the wounds opening wider as blood began to leak from the wounds and splatter against the deck beneath. The teen's back arced with each strike, the pain brutal enough to feel as though he were burning alive beneath a mouth of flame. Haru struggled against his bonds as he tried to escape the flogging, but even with his mind encased in pain, he began to realize his movements were only increasing the pain in his back. He quickly resigned himself to digging his nails into the barrel of the cannon until his knuckles turned white and his finger tips began to bleed. Blue eyes squeezed as tight as possible, teeth biting at Haru's lips hard enough to draw blood as he struggled to keep his cries under control.

He couldn't cry out. He couldn't let them win.

The punishment seemed to go on forever, even though in the end he only received ten strikes. When the lashes stopped he could finally feel the full extent of the pain in his back, burning at an intensity he never knew was possible. His legs were weak and shaking, the rope tied around his wrists being the only things that kept him standing - or _draped_ \- against the cannon. Sweat powdered his body as his teeth continued to worry his lips enough to make them bleed, still holding back his cries. The crew was surprisingly silent once the punishment was finished. Haru was brought out of his stunned stupor when fingers suddenly cupped his jaw and pulled his head gently upwards. Eyes slowly opened and looked into the crimson eyes of the ship's captain, surprisingly filled with warmth as they looked at Haru.

"Join me crew, Haruka," the captain murmured in a throaty voice, his eyes glittering with something Haru could not recognize. "Ye can be me favourite _free_booter."

His words were whispered in a low tone, but all Haru could do at that point was stare blankly back. His teeth ground together, watching as the captain's eyes suddenly shifted downwards and a strange, wry smile spread across his face.

"Red suits ye..."

Fingers suddenly ghosted across his wounds, the touch of another against his raw flesh being enough to finally push Haru over the edge and into darkness, his body finally giving in and passing out from the pain.

That moment of darkness was the last thing Haru could remember, and now he found himself laying on a familiar wooden bench. He was back in the iron cell he had first been brought into, the light as dark as ever and dead air still putrid. Ai was kneeling on the wood floor next to him with his torso hunched over the raven-haired teen's back, carefully pouring rum over the wounds before wrapping the teen's torso with clean bandages. The surgeon let out a small sigh as the white material immediately stained red, but for the time being it was enough to help cease the incessant bleeding. Haru couldn't do much more than simply lay on his stomach and try not to move, his eyes trained on the bloodstained ground below him knowing all that blood was _his_.

"You should join the crew," Ai suddenly spoke, sweeping Haru out of his memories and back to present time. The teen wanted to laugh at his words, but he bit down on his tongue instead and kept his comments to himself. Almost as if the silver-haired man could read his thoughts, Ai sighed as he finished wrapping Haru up and leaned backwards so that he could get a good look at the hostage's face.

"I told you before, didn't I? The Cap'n killed my friends too, but he kept me alive because I had something I could offer him. Obviously you do too, otherwise he wouldn't have kept you alive," the young man whispered, watching Haru's reactions for a moment before he bent over and quickly piled the medicinal objects back into the small wooden box he kept them in. "Just remember, Cap'n is not a merciful man. If he be wanting you to stay and you don't willingly join him... He will do whatever it takes to make sure you can't leave."

Haru jolted at the pirate's words and immediately cringed at the shoot of pain he received from his action. He realized, in horror, that the lashing he had received was _merciful_ compared to what could have happened to him. It was in that instant he really began to realize the cruel reality of the situation he was in.

Ai's pale blue eyes traced along the bloodied back of the boy, before the surgeon suddenly stood up and walked towards the entrance of the cell. He stopped at the iron cell's threshold, a worried look thrown over his shoulder as if hoping he would get a response from the prisoner. When none came his way he exited the cell, locked it back up, and headed back up towards the first inner deck.

Haru couldn't. He had always told himself, and those around him, that he would only sail free. He believed it was impossible for him to sail under the command of another. The raven-haired sailor loved the sea more than anything else and all he wanted was to be able to sail it freely as he liked, not bound by the rules and constrictions of those around him. The tossing of the waves, the salty spray of the water against the ship, navigating solely by the stars, the sun, and his own intuition... He lived for it all, but not when it meant having to chart a course that someone else chose for him.

No, he simply couldn't live that way; even if he knew he was just being stubborn.

The teen let out a sigh and ground his head into his arms that he had wrapped underneath his head to use as sort of a make-shift pillow. He couldn't move the rest of his body without agitating his back, which had finally subsided into a sort of dull ache. Only when he moved or shifted did he feel the pain again. Once again Haru couldn't help but let tears fall free from his eyes and coat his cheeks; now that he was alone he allowed himself to wallow in his grief, small hiccups of cries wracking his body. There was nothing he could do about his situation, he was completely powerless to the will of the pirates. It was the very first time he truly began to believe he would have been better off dying alongside his friends.

Laying in the iron cell with only the quiet roar of the waves outside to keep him company, the motion of the waves eventually lulled him enough for him to stop crying. With his mind cleared he fell into thought, Ai's words ringing over and over again in his mind. He couldn't help but feel as though something didn't add up.

Why did the captain want him? He was a simple fisherman with no family and no wealth to speak of. He wasn't skilled in medicine like Ai, and even if he was an expert sailor and fisher, there was no chance the pirate would know about that. There was also the issue with the captain not only knowing his family name, but also acting as though he knew someone that Haru reminded him of. Haru let out a sigh of frustration, his thoughts going in circles but ultimately getting nowhere in coming to a conclusion.

There was also something else eating at his mind: that strange look those red eyes of the captain had given him after he had been flogged against the cannon... Eyes that almost seemed- _No_. The boy shook his head, not allowing himself to think that way. Each time he had interacted with the captain he had felt something strange passing between them, but he could not help but wonder if it was simply his fear of the killer captain that kept him on edge. Blue eyes opened slowly to look at the flame flickering in the lantern, and that's when he noticed him.

A pirate standing near his cell, silently watching him.

* * *

**Kiss the gunner's daughter: A punishment consisting of being hoisted over a ship's canon and flogged**

**Port: When facing the front, the left side of the ship**

**Cat of nine tails: A whip with nine knotted lashes**

**Freebooter: A synonym for pirate**

**Thank you for the favourites and reviews, I always look forward to reading your comments! :D I'm glad so many of you are enjoying the story and looking forward to the characters' backstories! ^^; I have quite a bit I plan to dish out, just not until things get more 'set' in place. Also thanks to everyone else for the follows!**


	6. Chapter 6 :: Verdict

It was hard to mistake the flowing red coat that shifted back and forth across the man's towering body in time with the rolling of the waves; even harder to mistake was the cruel crimson eyes hidden beneath red locks flowing out from beneath an onyx leather hat. The captain watched his prisoner in the shadow of the cell, his own body revealed by the illumination given by the lone lantern that hung in the otherwise dark room. Haru shivered as his blue eyes met the predatory stare of the pirate, unable to turn his gaze away from him. Cold fear struck him like a stray bullet, his body screaming for him to flee even as he remained flat on the wooden bench, incapacitated and unable to run.

The pirate said nothing as he captured Haru in his violent red gaze, the raven-haired boy returning the stare for a while until he could look no more. His eyes squeezed shut, hoping that the man would be gone when his eyes opened once again. The sliver of hope he had was shattered when he opened his eyes again and found the captain had suddenly manoeuvred into the cell without Haru even realizing it. The iron cell door remained swung open as the crimson buccaneer moved closer, long strides driving him forwards across the creaking wood as he made his way over to the bloody prisoner.

A hand decorated in garish jewellery reached forwards suddenly, causing Haru to flinch away and immediately let out a strangled groan of discomfort at the pain that graced his back. The pirate lord did not react to Haru's display of fear, instead simply continued moving forwards with his hand. Lithe fingers snaked their way over the bandage-wrapped skin of the prisoner's back, the touch warm, comforting, and surprisingly light enough that Haru felt no pain in his backside from the touch.

The smaller male let out a soft sigh as the hand ghosted across the lacerations on his back, eyes closing in relief before opening again when he realized the touch was gone. As soon as his eyes were open he was surprised to not only find the captain gone, but soft light was now streaming in through the few lone portholes with the promise of a new dawn. Haru realized after a moment of confusion that the pain and trauma of his torture must have exhausted his body more than he originally thought possible, and he had somehow fallen into a deep slumber. By his calculations, nearly an entire day must have passed since he had seen the captain in his cell.

He jolted awake at the realization and struggled to push himself into an upwards sitting position on the bench, only for pain to explode along his back once again at the sudden movement. The wounds within his skin broke and began to bleed again, the blood-soaked bandages no longer effective as blood began to drip down his back and stain the bench. Haru let out a cry before he shoved his head into the wood bench and ground his teeth together in agony. When the pain finally subsided into a dull ache once again, he pushed himself back up - although this time much slower - so that he could position himself into a sitting position with his back just barely resting against the iron bars of the hold.

Eventually he had the courage to reach backwards with his right hand, fingertips brushing over the rough, yet surprisingly somehow soft material coating his back. He realized with a jolt that most of the material felt crusted when he experimentally poked it, but a large portion of it was also wet with fresh blood. The raven-haired boy let out a soft whimper and took his hand away, choosing instead to now massage his wrists that were also covered in fresh wounds.

Haru's head jolted up when shouts, complete with pirate slang and roguish exclamations, came from somewhere above him. It wasn't long before the thudding of worn boots on creaky stairs could be heard, two pirates descending the staircase into the lower deck to join him in the dark room.

He had some semblance of relief when he recognized both of them, even though it wasn't much comfort knowing they were both _pirates_. The first was the silver-haired surgeon, Ai, and the second was the younger brother of the two fiery-haired pirates. He had a gleeful expression on his face as he thrust something towards Ai in cupped hands, who recoiled in disgust and horror before descending down the stairs at a faster pace.

"Enough, Momo! You're lucky I don't throw the critter overboard! What if it eats the ship?" Ai complained, stomping his feet slightly when he stepped off of the stairs and turned to frown at the other pirate.

"No need t'be nasty now," Momo complained, letting out a huff as he looked down at what he held in his hands. He stroked the back of the stag beetle he held in the palm of his hand, a rare insect he had found once in the storage containers of a British cog. While he continued to dance around and croon over his beloved pet, Ai moved past him and headed towards Haru with a slight grimace of annoyance on his face. His mood seemed to lighten immediately when his blue eyes caught sight of the prisoner, a small smile on his face now as he opened the cell door and stepped in.

"I'm here to get you cleaned up," Ai smiled sadly, placing the various objects he had been holding within his hands on the bench beside the prisoner. Haru looked down and saw the small medicine box Ai had been carrying the last time they had seen one another, as well as a small pile of sloppily folded clothes that toppled over onto the ground as soon as they were set on solid ground. The pirate groaned as he reached down, flustered, and hurried to bundle the clothes up again before replacing them beside his wooden box.

The raven-haired teen already knew and trusted the surgeon enough that he didn't move or hesitate when he felt fingers experimentally touch his back. Instead he merely leaned forwards in silence, his lips twisting slightly with the piercing pain he received. It wasn't long before Ai unwrapped the blood-stained bandages from around his body, tossing them into a messy pile on the ground. Haru visibly jumped when a loud clang ricocheted through the small room as the other pirate threw himself against the cell wall to peer in with golden eyes shining in expectation.

"... What?" Haru found his tongue and spoke, staring with his cool blue gaze at the fiery pirate. The other simply chuckled, practically bouncing back and forth on his feet as he watched with avid curiosity.

"I still be believin' yer a woman under there," he replied, throwing a quick wink in Haru's direction.

"Momo wouldn't know the difference between a man and a woman to save his life," Ai huffed in exasperation as he worked on Haru's back. "I'm half surprised he hasn't already fallen into bed with another man," he continued in a half joking, half condescending tone as he grabbed fresh bandages from his box along with a plain, brown jug.

"Ho!? Ye be one t'talk. I seen the way ye fix yer deadlights on th'Cap'n," the pirate retorted, causing a deep red blush to set across Ai's cheeks. The silver-haired man sputtered out random words as if hoping someone would put together a sentence for him, and in his distracted state he poured the contents of the jug too quickly over Haru's back and caused his back to arc instinctively at the harsh burn.

"Ah! Sorry!" Ai squealed a rushed apology as he took the jug away, haphazardly wiping at the rum on the teen's back. His frantic motions only intensified Haru's pain as he roughly rubbed at the now bleeding wounds.

Haru reacted by grabbing the surgeon's hands to stop him, teeth worrying his bottom lip as he struggled to hold in the cries of pain he so desperately wanted to release. Blood pounded in his ears as the pain roared through his body, eyes blinded by tears. He only realized he was holding Ai's wrists hard enough to make the man writhe and squirm when Momo suddenly appeared by his side, grabbing at the front of his bloodied, tattered shirt and ripping him off of the silver-haired man.

The prisoner was pulled to unsteady feet as the pirate grabbing him suddenly bared his teeth, his mood from earlier instantly darkened.

"Get yer hands off him, ye sea-suckin' swine," Momo growled, his free hand grabbing at the handle of the cutlass that hung lazily off of his hip.

"Stop, Momo! It was my fault!" Ai cried as he struggled to his feet and pushed an arm between the two bristling men. Gold eyes met blue ones for a long time in silence, a staring match ensuing between prisoner and pirate, both of whom refused to back down. The only noise to break the tension was Ai's soft pleas as he pushed against Momo's chest, trying to dislodge his pirate kin from the raven-haired prisoner. Eventually the red-haired male decided to end their competition as he shoved Haru away from him, a string of garish curses leaving his lips as he glared at Ai protecting the prisoner. He didn't say anything else as he turned on his heel and headed back up to the top decks without another parting word given.

Haru doubled over in pain when Momo shoved him away and his back brushed against the metal behind him. The surgeon let out a sigh of relief when the pirate finally left, apologizing in a small voice before getting to work on wrapping Haru's torso back up with fresh bandages. He also took the time to wrap small bandages around the teen's wrists. Once he was done he packed up his medicine box and spoke up for the first time since Momo left.

"The clothes here are for you, compliments of the Cap'n," Ai explained softly, pushing the bundle of clothing towards Haru until he got acknowledgement in the form of a shallow nod. The clank of a rusty lock turning was heard as the pirate left, locking the cell before heading back up the creaking and groaning steps.

Only when Haru was greeted by silence, broken by the occasional groan of the ship as it heaved over the small waves of the ocean, did he turn his head down to look at the clothes given to him. For a small moment his mind flashed with anger and he toyed with the idea of being stubborn and refuse anything given to him by the buccaneers, but he eventually caved when he looked back down at his own clothes. His shirt had been torn in the back with a cutlass, and now just barely clung to his shoulders to cover the front of his torso. The rest of his clothes were tattered and torn, as well as stained with dirt and blood - both his own and that of his friends'.

Struggling with his limited movements, he quickly shed himself of his current torn and wet clothes, throwing them into a corner of the cell. He then proceeded to dress himself as best he could in the new garment that had been given to him. Pain induced in every movement, he managed to pull a tattered and faded blue shirt over his head, the sleeves cut off at the elbows. Dark, dusty gray breeches were pulled onto his legs, held up by a black leather belt that was padded against his hips with a vibrant dark blue scarf. Black boots were pulled onto his feet, the tops buckling up and over his calves, and ending a few inches below his knees. The last accessory given was a black bandana that he stared at, unsure of what to do with it, before he tied it around his neck and let it hang across his chest.

Once finished changing he manoeuvred himself into a laying position on his belly atop the wooden bench, moving as slow as possible to try and prevent himself from tearing open the wounds on his back even further. He lay in silence as the light from outside began to grow darker and darker again, time passing quickly as night eventually came to visit. The inky darkness threw him into yet another night spent aboard the pirate's ship in their makeshift dungeon in the belly of the sea vessel.

With little else to keep him preoccupied, he found his thoughts wandering again; thoughts of the events that had occurred following his capture by the pirates. The days spent in solitude, the visit to the captain's quarters, the flogging... And the mysterious visit of the captain soon after his torture. Was it normal for the captain to make his way into the foulest part of the ship just to visit a prisoner he had sentenced to whipping? Even stranger was his actions towards Haru, gentle and soft, almost as if caring for a friend after a tragic accident.

_Almost_, but not quite. The captain wasn't that benevolent.

No matter how long he thought about it, he couldn't come to a conclusion about his experiences with the captain thus far; but he knew one thing for sure. Acting stubbornly and standing against the pirates only led to more agony and torture. Something in the back of his mind told him the pirates were keeping him for something special, otherwise they most surely would have killed him by now. They were keeping him alive for a reason, and it was up to him whether he wanted to make his life easier or more difficult.

He needed to know the reason behind his capture and imprisonment, and the only way to do so was to join their crew. He needed to become one of them so he could earn their trust; so they would tell him the reason he was still alive.

Once he found that out, he knew he would be able to find a way to escape.

* * *

**Cog: A small warship**

**Thanks to everyone for their favourites and follows!**


	7. Chapter 7 :: Phantom

**Just a trigger warning for people that may get upset easily: Haru experiences some PTSD symptoms in this chapter at the start, so if you are uncomfortable with that, you may want to avoid it.**

* * *

It was happening to him again. The same memory, the same _nightmare_; it continued to replay in his mind over and over again, torturing his mind.

Haru woke flushed and sweating, his chest heaving with the effort of trying to breathe in the dank, stale air of the ship's belly. The nightmare kept flashing in his mind's eye long after he awoke, forcing his body into panic mode. The teen's hands scrambled at the wooden bench underneath him, nails fighting to dig deep enough into the hard surface to try and gain some sort of hold to keep himself in place. Cerulean eyes shot wide as he struggled to get his bearings, but the lamp that normally illuminated the room had blown out, leaving him to fight his fears in complete darkness. He couldn't see anything, but it felt as though something was closing in around him, suffocating the life from him.

"Geh!" he let out an audible groan as his mind began to clear enough to feel the pain shooting through his body. The pain came from deep within his chest and he clutched at the material of his shirt with one fist, the rapid beating of his heart too fast to feel comfortable. Each time he writhed uncomfortably on the bench, he could feel the pain in his back growing stronger and stronger until he couldn't take it any longer.

He tried shutting his eyes again but was only met with the vision of scattered corpses, their dead eyes open and mouths gaped wide from issuing their last dying screams. Haru could still hear their voices in his head as if they were in the ship with him; he tried slapping his hands over his ears, but it was a futile. The raven-haired prisoner struggled to hold back his mounting terror and tried to eradicate his mind of the nightmare that continued to plague him, even in the waking world.

The ship suddenly hit a rough spot and lurched violently, throwing the boy from his makeshift bed and onto the hard wooden floor beneath. He let out a bone chilling cry as pain exploded from his back at the collision. Struggling to breathe, his head rocked back and forth as he tried to force the images from his mind. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried, Haru couldn't escape from the last memory he had of his hometown; swathed in an inferno, people he had known his entire life laying upon the ground in puddles of mud and blood. Not even the crashing of the waves against the side of the ship could block out the screams of terror that were trapped in his ears. Instead he was forced to relive that memory, night after night.

Eventually he exhausted himself from trying to fight the fear, his body falling limp as he lay on the floor, heaving and panting with eyes wide open and staring at nothing. The longer he lay flat on the dank wood, the quicker the pain in his back began to subside until it became nothing more than a simple dull ache; the voices and visions also grew less severe until he was finally able to bring himself back into reality.

A groan left his lips as he pulled himself onto his knees, muscles aching from the length of time he had spent on the hard ground. A small steam of light was beginning to trickle its way into the room as day broke over the horizon, the dark of night slipping away and giving him freedom from his nightmare. A soft sigh left Haru's lips, arms wrapping around himself to give himself a bit of comfort. When he finally raised his head, he jumped in surprise when he found himself staring at a pirate that was _inside_ his cell, standing at the far side near the iron wrought door.

Haru stayed silent as he observed the pirate standing before him. He found his eyes drawn in by the beautiful dark blue eyes of the man that were almost completely hidden by long black bangs, a stark contrast to the white cream of his skin. The pirate's long black hair hung loose across his lithe shoulder blades and back, matching the black leather hat that adorned his skull. The handsome, masculine face of the man was bordered on the bottom by a small anchor beard, shaved neatly to expose the small, silver necklaces that hung around the man's neck. His ears were also accessorized, pierced by many small earrings that were also silver, matching his necklaces.

The man's attire itself was comparable to that of the crimson captain. A long flowing azure coat covered the majority of the man's body, opened at the front to reveal the silken silver shirt he wore beneath. The shirt was opened at the top to expose slim, yet equally powerful pecs. Black breeches and boots stuck out beneath the long length of the jacket, both with intricate silver designs sewn onto their ebony surfaces. Several leather belts hung around the man's waist and off of his shoulders, all built as holsters to hold different sizes of pistols, daggers, and gruesome cutlasses.

A moment of observation was all the teen needed to know this man was no ordinary pirate - if not because of his clothing, it was most certainly because of the way in which he held himself. Strong and powerful, with a captivating gaze Haru found himself having a hard time ripping his own eyes away from. The longer he stared at the pirate, the more a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach began to grow; almost as if, somehow, there was a semblance of_ recognition_ between the prisoner and the buccaneer.

Haru flinched when the man suddenly kneeled down and leaned towards him, a hand wrapped in black cloth reaching out towards him. The long, lithe fingers slipped against his cheek with a surprisingly gentle touch that ghosted across small scabs, the only remains of the cuts he had gotten on his face a little more than a week ago. The black-haired teen refused to turn his gaze away from the man - not until those fingers suddenly moved to his eyes and deftly closed his eyelids with a light brush. Strangely enough he immediately felt a sense of warmth and security in the presence of this stranger. The ringing in his ears vanished completely, leaving his mind in peace for the first time that night.

"Haru..." the man's voice suddenly broke the silence, but it was quiet and echoed as though it came from somewhere far off.

The teen frowned when he heard the pirate speaking again, but he wasn't able to make out the words. When he opened his eyes again the prisoner was gone, and he felt a slight twinge of regret he missed whatever the pirate had said to him. For some reason, he felt that whatever the buccaneer had wished for him to hear had been very important.

He didn't know how long he remained kneeling on the floor of his cell, listening to the crashing of the waves and allowing the soft rocking of the ship to put his mind at ease. Blue eyes closed as he strained to smell the salty spray of the ocean, desperate to feel it again and be part of it. It almost felt as though a part of his soul was being torn in half, tearing him away from the one thing he truly loved in life.

Haru sat in silence for a long time, disturbed only when the hard knocking of boots echoed in the room as someone approached him in the dark room. Eyes opening, Haru felt a small chill of fear when the stranger relit the lantern, the faint glow revealing cropped black hair and malevolent turquoise eyes. He had not seen the man since his lashing, and the mere sight of the man again sent an involuntary shiver of fear down his spine. His cerulean eyes returned the cold glare thrown his way, legs screaming as he struggled to unwind them after sitting for so long and pushed himself into a standing position. Even when standing at his full height he had to tilt his head upwards to meet the pirate head on with his returned glower.

"The Captain wants yer answer," the buccaneer's chilling voice broke the awkward silence, head tipped arrogantly upwards as he looked down on the smaller man.

_'This is it.'_ Haru swallowed, giving himself a moment to push his fear away and gather his courage back again. Once again he refused to back down to the older man, knowing if he ever showed weakness again to the powerful man, he would be eaten alive.

"My answer," Haru began, tone level as he spoke in a confident voice, "I'll join the crew. I'll sail for the Captain."

"Oh?" the pirate purred after a moment of silence, a strange smile curling its way onto his lips. "Bit o' fear and ye change yer tune, eh?"

The teen clenched his hands together, fingers digging into his palm as he found uncharacteristic anger blossoming inside of him at the man's words. Still, he managed to keep his calm, face never changing as he challenged the man back.

"I just want to sail and see the ocean again. If joining is the only way for that to happen, then I will do it - regardless of what _you_ threaten me with."

He had angered the pirate again, he could see it in the way a fire seemed to spark and burn in those glittering turquoise depths. The pirate's jaw clenched tight, one of his hands working at the broad cutlass handle on his hip as though contemplating ripping it from its sheath and running the smaller male through. Tension grew between the two of them as they continued to stare at one another, broken only when Haru decided to push the man once more.

"You know the Captain wouldn't be happy if you did something to me," he taunted in a level tone, blue eyes _almost_ daring the pirate to pull a sword on him.

That last bit of speech was what finally prompted the man into action, his large bronzed frame moving slowly through the shadows like a predator circling its prey. Haru swallowed as he kept his eyes on the other man, a bit of fear shaking his legs slightly now even more so than when the other had been threatening him. The door to his cell was suddenly swung open, but the man never stepped inside; instead he jerked his chin to motion to the prisoner - _former_ prisoner - to exit the cell. The raven-haired teen hesitated for a moment before he finally exited the cell, not entirely surprised when the front of his shirt was grabbed and he was shoved up against the outer wall of the iron cell. His entire body screamed when the hard, rough metal dug into the lacerations on his back.

His face screwing up in pain was an involuntary action, but he still felt a flash of failure when the buccaneer seemed to _gloat_ over the pain Haru was in. Haru ground his teeth to try and forget his pain as he tilted his head up to look straight into the deadly eyes of the buccaneer, silently challenging him back. The lager man remained where he was, pinning the sailor between him and the cell, his hand fisted in the faded blue shirt of the teen as anger pulsed through his muscular body.

They remained that way until Haru began to grow increasingly uncomfortable with the close proximity of the pirate. The way his body reeked of sweat and old blood, the way his hot breath lingered a little _too_ long on his neck; the way the man's eyes suddenly began to wander, licking Haru up and down with their heated gaze.

"Let me go," Haru suddenly broke their silence as he grabbed at the pirate's arm with both hands, discomfort eating at him.

His words finally drew the man out of whatever stupor had momentarily possessed him, half-lidded turquoise eyes snapping back up to glare at Haru. His mouth proceeded to twist into a cruel smile, as if he knew what had made the teen so uncomfortable. Clothing drew taut across Haru's body as the pirate's grip tightened that much more, his body pushed even harder against the cell. Panic finally over took him and his entire body began to flail as he sought to escape the hold and flee somewhere; _anywhere_.

"Yer goin' on the account?" a new voice suddenly joined the warzone, cutting through the tension with ease as the newcomer approached the two. The larger pirate suddenly released his hold on Haru's shirt, backing up to give breathing room between the two of them.

Red hair and golden eyes, the older of the two pirate brothers gave a friendly wink to the now former prisoner. His lips curved into a friendly smile, a frightening contrast to the first memory Haru had of meeting the man: pinned beneath a burning pillar with the buccaneer standing above him, poised with deadly intent to slaughter him alongside his friends. It was obvious the newcomer could tell what had been transpiring between the two men before he had entered the lower deck, but he didn't seem phased in the slightest as he grabbed one of Haru's shoulders in a strangely friendly gesture.

"Let me be the first t'welcome ye." In an exaggerated flourish his flung his other arm in front of him, drawing Haru's attention to the entire expanse of the ship they were boarded on, a grin stretching across his face with golden eyes glittering in excitement.

"Welcome aboard the _Samezuka_, matey!"

* * *

**Going on the account: Literally means joining a pirate crew; becoming a pirate**

**Thank you everyone for your favourites and follows! They mean a lot to me :)**


	8. Chapter 8 :: Challenge

**After an entire _year_ I am - optimistically - back! Long story short: moved to a foreign country, started learning a foreign language, and got busy with work and school. I want to try and get back into writing again and I hope you guys can forgive me! :(**

**Important: Something you guys should know is that before updating any of my stories, I'm planning on rewriting the old chapters. That's right; that means I've rewritten chapters 1-7 of this story (and I think I've added 4-5k words). The plot is still the same for the most part, just fixed my grammar, added some details and changed some minor things. I still do recommend rereading it, even though you may or may not notice the changes!**

**Anyway, hope you guys are happy I'm continuing this story! :D I've had in my mind for the past year where I want to go with the next four or five chapters so hopefully my updates won't take as long as the last... Heh.**

* * *

A soft sigh left Haru's lips as he tilted his head backwards to enjoy the hot sun beating down on him from above. The weather was calm today, with very few clouds to obscure the bright blue of the sky and only a soft breeze to accompany the small waves that rocked the pirate ship. The raven-haired teen closed his eyes to savour the moment for a little longer as he used the mop handle currently clutched in his hands to lean forwards slightly and take a moment to relax.

The wounds in his back no longer caused him agony on a daily basis, although his back still held a dull ache to serve as a reminder of his punishment. Thankfully he was healing faster now that he had been able to leave the damp, dank cell he had lived in for more than a week after boarding the pirate's ship. After deciding to join the pirate crew he had been allowed to sleep in the cleaner, albeit still filthy, sleeping quarters with the rest of the crew. More than a week had passed since he swore an oath, although nothing eventful had occurred in that time. The buccaneers had readily accepted him into their ranks as though he had never been a prisoner to begin with.

Ever since he had been released from the belly of the ship, he had come to realize just how far they had sailed since the destruction of his hometown. The waters they currently sailed were no longer recognizable to Haru, far past anywhere he had previously sailed himself. Their voyage into uncharted waters made Haru anxious, but excited all the same.

Life aboard the pirate ship had been easy to get used to. During the night he slept with the rest of the crew and woke in the morning to take care of his chores, most of which consisted of cleaning and organizing supplies. When the day was calm and the rest of the crew weren't required to man the ship, they spent much of their time singing shanties, gambling, or finding other ways to entertain themselves.

The easy going nature of the pirates... _frightened_ Haru.

They acted so normal, so _human_, and yet he knew firsthand how gung ho they were for violence. He was thankful they had not yet run across another ship or settlement they would deem fit to attack and loot.

Cerulean eyes shifted to look at the imposing doors set beneath the helm of the ship, which led to the captain's cabin. The teen shivered ever so slightly as he remembered the last time he had been brought there. However, since he had joined the pirate crew and been released from the cell, he had not once seen the captain. The last time he had seen the crimson-haired man had been shortly after his flogging. He could still remember how... _gentle_ he had been, the mere thought bringing unease to Haru. He still did not have any idea as to what the pirates planned to do with him; thus far they treated him like they would any other pirate in their ranks, giving no indication as to their plans for him.

Shaking his head to rid himself of such ill thoughts, Haru drew his attention to where the pirate crew were currently congregated on the top deck. Raucous cries of merriment could be heard as they watched the sparring match currently taking place between two pirates, the clang of metal unmistakable.

Haru's curiosity eventually got the best of him and he decided to make his way over to join the mob of pirates that formed a loose circle in the center of the ship, enough room for the two men in the middle of the deck to move without hindrance. The raven-haired teen shimmied between the buccaneers until he was able to navigate his way towards the inner circle, stopping once he was able to clearly see what was happening.

The clash of metal striking metal shrieked in his ears as cutlasses danced through the air, striking each other one blow after another without pause. The two pirates currently fighting in the makeshift ring, sweat dripping down their bodies and clothes pulling taut against their flexing muscles, Haru knew all too well. The first was the red-haired pirate with golden eyes he now knew was called Seijuurou Mikoshiba. He was the ship's boatswain, in charge of the maintenance of the ship and its supplies, as well as responsible for most activities that occurred on deck. He was also the one that often gave Haru his duties for the day.

The second was the infamous black-haired pirate that gave Haru shivers whenever they ran across one another. He was Sousuke Yamazaki, the quartermaster, which meant besides the captain, he was the one in charge. Haru spent much of his time avoiding the brute of a man, and so far has been successful in his endeavours.

Looking at him now, Haru remembered vividly why he feared the large man so much.

Bronze skin glistened with sweat, but even with his swift movements and powerful swings of his sword-wielding arm, Sousuke's face showed very little strain. His lips were drawn into an almost arrogant _sneer_, turquoise eyes harsh and glittering with triumph as he continued his offensive attacks on Seijuurou, whose face couldn't quite mask the pain he must have been feeling in his arm each time he was forced to block one of the quartermaster's blows.

The match ended quicker than expected.

The black-haired pirate's cutlass ricocheted backwards after another successful block on Seijuurou's behalf, only to make a comeback by swinging in an uppercut towards the redhead's thigh. He responded by swinging his arm downwards to block the incoming attack, only realizing too late he had left his entire front open. A heavy boot slammed into his stomach as the boatswain was punted backwards by his sparring partner, the pirates hooting and jeering as they parted to let their fellow pirate fall ungracefully on his back atop the deck. An angry curse left his lips and he tried to get back on his feet, only to stop when the tip of Sousuke's cutlass entered his vision, pointed directly at his face.

"Will ye beg me t' give quarter?" the quartermaster smirked, the pirate audience responding by letting out a roar of taunts towards the loser.

The red-haired buccaneer let out a shallow huff of laughter, his free hand lifting to comb his sweaty bangs out of his eyes before extending his arm upwards.

"Aye, now help me up ye bilge rat," he huffed, a smile playing at his lips as golden eyes glittered mischievously. Sousuke made a show of contemplating whether he should help his comrade up or not, before he finally sheathed his sword into his belt and grabbed the hand of his pirate kin, helping to hoist him back to his feet. Some of the pirates began to exchange money at the outcome of the battle, while others began to call out to find who would participate in the next challenge.

Haru couldn't help but feel unnerved at their version of _fun_. His eyes turned downwards as he made to make his way out of the circle of pirates and flee from the deck. It seemed so easy for them to find entertainment in fighting one another with swords; swords that they could use to kill other humans when their intentions turned deadly. The mere thought of it unwillingly brought unpleasant memories back to Haru's mind, and a wrenching feeling in the pit of his stomach made him feel as though he was going to be sick.

"Nanase!"

The teen stopped in his tracks, heart thudding in his chest when he recognized that voice. Slowly he turned his head back the way he had come, the pirate crew staring at him as they parted to reveal the quartermaster standing in all his glory, his turquoise eyes staring Haru down like a predator would its prey.

"What say ye? Care for a bout?" he purred with a silky voice, tone light as though issuing a friendly spar to a fellow pirate. However, Haru was able to read the dark undertones. It was a _threat_; a challenge to his new position aboard the pirate crew. The bronzed man's head tipped upwards as a mocking sneer graced his features, muscular arms crossing upon his chest as he stared his prey down.

Haru couldn't help but feel a tremor of fear run down his spine. He had never held a sword before in his life, let alone _fight_ with one - but at the same time he knew he couldn't just blatantly turn the challenge down. He swallowed nervously, waiting a few seconds for his fear to die before he turned his entire body to face Sousuke. A facade of fake nonchalance was quickly issued onto his stoic face as he returned the quartermaster's challenging stare, teeth grinding together to help him keep his composure.

"I'd rather not," Haru replied, watching as Sousuke's smirk quickly faded into a malevolent glower.

"Ye cowardly swab, that's what will see ye to Davy Jones," he growled before suddenly smiling once more, leaning forwards slightly with eyes narrowing into slits. "Fear not laddie, yer death by me hand shall not come _this_ day." His cold words penetrated Haru's body and chilled him to the bone when he realized it would be quite easy for the pirate to kill him at any time. Regardless of whether the captain wanted him or not, he knew he would never be truly safe on board the pirate ship, and refusing the quartermaster's challenge now could be dangerous for him in the long run.

Swallowing back his fear once more, Haru crossed his arms in front of his chest and matched Sousuke's gaze once more.

"Fine," he hissed, sparing himself a moment to gloat over the flash of surprise that appeared on the pirate's face. "If a fight is what you want, that's what you'll get."

Haru had spent much of his time on the pirate ship swathed in sorrow and pain, but that wasn't who he was at heart. He was no born coward; the tragic events that had happened had simply been too much for him to handle. Normally he was strong, stubborn, and _determined_, and now that he was no longer shackled by the chains of a prisoner, he was willing to prove to the buccaneers the strength he actually possessed.

Although, accepting a challenge to a duel between him and _Samezuka_'s best swordsman probably wasn't Haru's best decision. He didn't even know how to hold a sword properly, let alone wield one in battle - but he couldn't back out now.

Haru walked towards his opponent through the gap the pirates had created for him, which quickly filled up again once he was through until he was completely surrounded by them. Sousuke crooked an eyebrow at him before nodding towards another pirate, who quickly darted forwards and handed Haru a curved cutlass. The sailor grasped the rough handle in his right hand and experimentally held it out in front of him. It felt foreign and clumsy in his grasp, swinging unevenly as he moved his arm in an arc to get used to the feel.

He could feel someone's gaze burning him and he looked up in time to see the quartermaster _grinning_ at him, almost as if laughing at his incompetence. Not about to be shown up by a pirate, Haru shifted his feet until they were shoulder width apart and held his sword wielding arm up in front of him for defence. In a spur of the moment display of bravery, Haru lifted his free hand and threw Sousuke his best 'come hither' beckon. By the way the man's lidded eyes narrowed even further, he knew he had succeeded in getting on the pirate's nerves.

Unfortunately for Haru, his moment of bold bravery disappeared the moment the buccaneer languidly drew his sword from its sheathe in an exaggerated flourish, lifted it up so the sun would catch on its glistening surface - then _licked_ the blade. The action sent shivers down the teen's spine and he felt his legs quiver slightly.

_'What am I doing?'_ he thought in mild horror as the man began to advance on him.

"Storm ahoy!"

Before they could even begin fighting, a sudden cry from the crow's nest jolted the two fighters from their concentration. The loud cheers and taunts of the pirate crew grew quiet as every man snapped to attention. The fire in Sousuke's eyes died as his turquoise eyes shifted to look past Haru, looking towards the direction they were currently sailing.

That's when everything suddenly changed.

The light from the sun suddenly vanished as thick clouds took over the sky, almost too quick to believe possible. Haru didn't even have time to react when an abnormally large wave suddenly crashed into the ship's bow, sending the sea-born sailor crashing to the deck on unsteady legs. The cutlass he had been holding in his hand bounced off the wooden ground and spiralled away into the moving sea of legs as pirates began rushing to prepare the ship for the approaching storm.

"All hands on-!" Sousuke couldn't even finish his command before a bright flash silhouetted the entire ship, followed immediately by a large boom that seemed to shake the very air they breathed.

Scrambling to his feet, Haru turned around to look at the storm they were heading into just as rain began pouring from the sky, so strong and powerful it felt like millions of needles were piercing his skin. Pirates dashed back and forth as they hurried to lash the ship's cannons even tighter to the gunwalls of the ship, the deadly weapons rocking back and forth with each violent hurl of the ship's movement. Haru's eyes grew wide as a powerful gust of wind caught the ship's sails and violently heaved it sideways. An unlucky pirate was unable to fasten his cannon fast enough, sending its brute force into his chest and pinning him between it and the wall. His pained scream was drowned out by another clash of thunder and lightning.

It didn't take an experienced sailor to know this storm was going to be _very_ violent.

* * *

**Quartermaster: Second-in-command, however also has the power to overrule the captain's decisions; only in times of war does the captain hold ultimate control**

**Give quarter: To show mercy**

**Swab: A disrespectful term for a seaman**

**Gunwall: Sides of the top deck which act as a railing and have openings for cannons**

**Thank you everyone for your favourites, reviews, and follows in my absence! It made me happy to know people were still finding and reading this story even when I wasn't actively updating it**


End file.
